Shower curtain unit for built-in bathtubs



Sept. 4, 1956 N. H. KELLOGG 2,7

SHOWER CURTAIN UNIT FOR BUILT-IN BATHTUBS Filed April 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 6 42 38 Neal az zz s BY 40M 6 mm ATTORNEYS p 4, 1956 N. H. KELLOGG 2,761,150

SHOWER CURTAIN UNIT FOR BUILT-IN BA'IHTUBS Filed April 12. 1954 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY (0M0 mu ATTOH N EYS SHOWER CURTAIN UNIT FOR BUILT-1N BATHTUBS Neal H. Kellogg, Woodland, Calif., assignor, by direct and mesue assignments, to Kellogg & Burger, Woodland, Caltfi, a copartnership Application April 12, 1954, Serial No. 422,344 13 Claims. (Cl. 4-149) The present invention is directed to, and it is a major ob ect to provide, a novel shower curtain supporting unit for use in connection with built-in or alcoved bathtubs, and wherein there is a shower head projecting from one Wall of the alcove; the instant application being a continuation-in-part of abandoned application Serial No. 278,236, filed March 24, 1952.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a shower curtain supporting unit which is retained in a position directly above, and extends for the full length of, the outer rim of the tub by a novel frame assembly; the curtain being secured by said assembly about all of its edges, and thus prevented from, undesirably swinging inward or outward when the tube and shower head is in use.

The prime purpose of the shower curtain thus mounted is to assure against water splashing outwardly from the tub onto the floor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shower curtain supporting unit, as above, wherein said frame assembly includes a readily manually and horizontally shiftable vertical post attached to one end of the curtain for opening and closing of the same accordiomlike; the curtain, which is non-movably secured at the opposite end, being slidably carried top and bottom in connection with corresponding rails of said frame assembly.

An additional object of the invention is to provide for the connection in novel manner of the shower curtain at its opposite ends to such horizontally shiftable post and a fixed end post of the frame assembly, respectively.

A separate object of the invention is to provide, in the shower curtain supporting unit, an effective mount for the horizontally shiftable post; such mount including novel mechanism for mounting such shiftable post in connection with the top and bottom rails of the frame assembly for easy non-binding sliding motion horizontally to and fro.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shower curtain supporting unit wherein the frame assembly and said horizontally shiftable post are adapted to be mounted in place with said post movable from left to right, or right to left, for the purpose of opening the shower curtain from its closed position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shower curtain supporting unit which includes novel slides which connect the shower curtain top and bottom to adjacent and corresponding rails for easy accordion-like folding or unfolding of the curtain as it is moved to close or open the same, respectively.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a shower curtain supporting unit which is simple in structure, designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and adapted for convenient installation.

Another distinct object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable shower curtain supporting unit, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such strucnited States stem ture and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear l 2,761,150 Patented Sept. 4, 1956 ICC from a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the shower curtain sup porting unit as mounted in connection with a built-in bathtub; the curtain being partially open.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical elevation of the unit, foreshortened, partly broken away, and partly in section; the view showing mainly the carriage and the manner of mounting the horizontally slidable post.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section, foreshortened, on line 4--4 of Fig. 1; the curtain being detached.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse plan view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the. improved shower curtain supporting unit comprises a vertically disposed, open, rectangular frame, indicated generally at 1, which frame is mounted in the wall recess 2 of a built-in bathtub 3; the frame occupying a position in engagement with, and extending above, the outer longitudinal rim 4 of said bathtub. The frame 1 comprises a top rail 5, a bottom rail 6, and opposite end posts 7 and 8.

The top rail 5, which is rectangular in cross section, seats at its opposite ends in vertically disposed, inwardly opening, generally U-shaped upper corner brackets 9; such brackets including, intermediate the top and bottom thereof, a horizontal base flange it on which the adjacent end portion of the top rail 5 seats, and which portion is prevented from escape from the bracket by a set screw 11.

The upper corner brackets 9 are fixed to the related end post 7 or 3 at the top thereof by rivets 12; each such end post including, at its outer edge, and for its full height, an inwardly extending facia flange 13 against the back of which the related upper corner bracket 9 abuts.

The bottom rail 6 is transversely concave on the under side, as at 14, to assure of full length matching edge contact, as at 1 5, with the top of the outer longitudinal rim 4 of the bathtub.

The upper surface of the bottom rail 6 is rounded transversely, as shown, and such rail is held in place on the rim 4- of the bathtub as follows:

At the lower ends thereof the end posts 7 and 8 are fitted with vertically disposed, inwardly opening, generally U-shaped corner brackets 16 riveted, as at 17, to said end posts, with said brackets abutting the facia flanges 13 from the back side. Each of the brackets 16 is formed with a saddle 18 which straddles, in matching relation with, and effectively holds down, the adjacent end of the bottom rail 6, preventing its displacement laterally on the rim 4.

A rectangular shower curtain 19 of flexible waterproof material is mounted within the frame 1 for opening motion, and accordion folding, from a fully closed position, by means of the following:

A vertical, horizontally slidable post 20 extends between the top rail 5 and bottom rail 6, being supported from said top rail 5, and guided by both of said rails, as follows:

The top rail 5 is hollow and is separated, internally, into a longitudinal upper chamber 21 and a longitudinal lower chamber 22 by inwardly projecting, intermediate flanges 23 of substantial width, but which terminate in spaced relation in order to form a central longitudinal slot 24 therebetween. At the bottom thereof the top rail 5 includes inturned bottom flanges 25 which likewise terminate short of eachother to form another longitudinal slot 26 alined with slot 24.

An elongated carriage, indicated generally at 27, runs in the longitudinal upper chamber 21; such carriage including a likewise extendng carriage arm 28 supported at opposite ends by transversely spaced rollers 29 which ride corresponding ones of the flanges 23. The rollers 29 are preferably of plastic, as it has been found that these have freer running motion on the metal, such as aluminum alloy, from which the top rail including the flanges 23-is formed.

At one end the carriage arm 28 includes an integral, depending guide web 30 which extends downwardly through the slots 24 and 26, terminating below the top rail 5 in integral merger with a small horizontal plate 31.

A flat tongue 32 is formed integral with, and depends from, the horizontal plate 31; such tongue being dimensioned so that a portion of such horizontal plate 31 projects longitudinally inwardly beyond said tongue 32.

The slidable post 20 is hollow; i. e., is of horizontally elongated U-shape and opens inwardly. The tongue 32 projects into the upper end portion of said post, being held therein by rivets 33; the tongue 32 seating against the closed end of the post 8 and being of lesser width than the latter, whereby to leave a vertical channel 34 adjacent the open inner edge of said post, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

Another tongue 35 similarly engages in the lower end of the slidable post 20, being secured therein by a rivet 36. Below the post 20 the tongue 35 is formed with a relatively small horizontal plate 37 which has a longitudinally inward projection the same as the horizontal plate 31. A longitudinal guide web 38 is formed integral with, and depends from, the horizontal plate 37. The bottom rail 6 is hollow, whereby to form a longitudinal chamber 39, and said rail is longitudinally slotted on top, as at 40; the guide web 38 projecting into the chamber 39 through said slot 40.

A locator and retention pin 41 depends from the inner end portion of the plate 31 and extends downwardly mainly in the vertical channel 34, and an alined locator and retention pin 42 upstands from the horizontal plate 37 in like relationship to said post; i. e., mainly within the vertical channel 34.

A tube 43 receives the pins 41 and 42 in opposite ends thereof, and such tube extends vertically the full distance between the plates 31 and 37. Such tube 43 engages in a vertical end sleeve 44 formed by hemming the adjacent end of the shower curtain 19. By reason of the fact that the alined pins 41 and 42 are disposed mainly within the vertical channel 34, the end sleeve 44 is likewise carried or engaged in said channel 34 by the tube 43. This arrangement prevents any water splashing outwardly between the curtain 19 and the post 20.

At the end opposite the post 28 the curtain 19 is attached to the frame 1 likewise by an alined pin and tube assembly, as follows:

A vertical tube 45 is engaged in a vertical end sleeve 46 on the curtain; the tube spanning between the related upper corner bracket 9 and the corresponding lower corner bracket 16, being carried on upper and lower locator pins 47 and 48 which depend and upstand, respectively, from said brackets. The depending locator pin 47 projects downwardly from the base flange 10 of the related bracket 9, whereas the locator pin 48 projects upwardly from the bottom 49 of the related bracket 16; both pins being spaced from, but closely adjacent, the back wall of the related bracket.

The curtain 19 is connected in slidable relation at the upper and lower edges to the top rail 5 and the bottom rail 6 in the following manner:

A plurality of T-shaped slides 50, preferably of plastic, are secured to the upper edge of the curtain 19 in longitudinally spaced relation by snaps 51; the slides projecting upwardly through the slot 26 in the top rail 5, and the cross heads 52 of such slides spanning said slot and riding on the flanges 25.

A plurality of inverted T-shaped slides 53, likewise preferably of plastic, are connected in longitudinally spaced relation to the lower edge of the curtain 19 by snaps 54; the slides 53 depending through the slot 40, with the cross heads 55, of said inverted T-shaped slides 53, running in the longitudinal chamber 39 in the bottom rail 6.

A longitudinal, open ended slot 56 in the base flange 10 of the upper corner bracket 9, and a similar slot 57 in the bottom of the lower corner bracket 16, permit the adjacent slides 50 and 53 to run into the end portions of the top rail 5 and bottom rail 6, respectively, without obstruction.

As assembled, the described shower curtain supporting unit is held in place in the wall recess 2 by securing the end posts 7 and 8 to the end walls 58, of said recess, by means of screws 59.

By reason of the anti-friction mounting of the post 20 it can be easily shifted back and forth, by means of a knob 60, to open or close the shower curtain 19; such curtain, when it is opened, folding accordion-like as the slides 50 and 53 are moved along the top rail 5 and bottom rail 6.

A longitudinal skirt or drape 61 is affixed to the inner side of the shower curtain 19 adjacent but above the slides 53; such skirt having a dependent length such that it spans over the rim 4 of the bathtub and depends a short distance into the latter. The purpose of the skirt 61 is to prevent any water from splashing outwardly between the lower edge of the curtain 19 and the bottom rail 6.

The described shower curtain supporting unit is very practical in use, convenient to manipulate between open and closed positions, and in the latter position effectively prevents the splashing of water outwardly from within the recess 2 onto the bathroom floor.

Also, the structure of the unit is of a design which permits of economical mass production of the parts, and which parts are formed for ready installation of the unit without the use of special tools.

While the shower curtain supporting unit is here shown with the post 20 and shower curtain arranged for opening upon movement in a right to left hand direction, this can be readily reversed if desired; i. e., the post 20 and curtain 19 can be set to open with left to right hand motion. This is accomplished by merely reversing, at the time of assembly, the position of the carriage 27 in the top rail 5, and the mounting of the tube 45 in a position extending between the upper corner bracket 9 and lower corner bracket 16 at the right hand end of the frame 1. The brackets 9 and 16 at each end of the frame 1 are identical, each including the locator pins 47 and 48.

While the curtain unit has been described for mounting in connection with a bathtub, it will be obvious that said unit is also adapted for use in closing the front opening of a conventional alcove shower-bath stall or chamber.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower bath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising a frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, means adapted to mount the frame in a position upstanding from and extending along said outer rim member, said frame including horizontal top and bottom rails, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, members rigid with the post at its end and engaging the rails for guided horizontal sliding motion, means securing one end of the curtain to the frame at one end thereof,

means slidably connecting the upper and lower edges of the curtain at spaced points thereon to the rails, and means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post; the intermediate post having an initially laterally inwardly opening channel therein, and said means for securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post including a vertical rod-like element, said adjacent end of the curtain being formed with a vertical sleeve through which the rod-like element extends, and instrumentalities securing said element in fixed relation to the intermediate post with said element and sleeve closing said vertical channel.

2. A shower curtain supporting unit, as in claim 1, in which said instrumentalities include alined locator pins projecting toward each other from said post mounting members; the rod-like element being tubular at its end portions and the pins engaging in the latter.

3. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower bath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising a vertical rectangular frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, means adapted to mount the frame in a position upstanding from and extending along said outer rim member, said frame including opposed vertical end posts and horizontal top and bottom rails, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, means mounting said intermediate post in connection with the rails for guided horizontal sliding motion, means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post, means securing the opposite end of the curtain in connection with the adjacent end post, and means slidably connecting the upper and lower edge portions of the curtain at longitudinally spaced points with the adjacent rails; said means for securing the opposite end of the curtain including a vertical rod-like element, said opposite end of the curtain being formed with a vertical sleeve through which the rod-like element extends, and instrumentalities securing said element closely and in fixed relation to said adjacent end post; said frame including upper and lower corner brackets at the end adjacent said rod-like elements; said instrumentalities including alined locator pins projecting toward each other from said corner brackets laterally inwardly of the adjacent end post, and the rod-like element being tubular at its end portions and the pins engaging in the latter.

4. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower bath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising a vertical rectangular frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, means adapted to mount the frame in a position upstanding from and extending along said outer rim member, said frame including opposed vertical end posts and horizontal top and bottom rails, lower corner brackets on the end posts, the bottom rail projecting at the ends beneath said corner brackets, the latter being formed with saddles which matchingly engage on said ends of the bottom rail, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, means mounting said intermediate post in connection with the rails for guided horizontal sliding motion, means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post, means securing the opposite end of the curtain in connection with the adjacent end post, and means slidably connecting the upper and lower edge portions of the curtain at longitudinally spaced points with the adjacent rails.

5. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower bath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising a vertical rectangular frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, means adapted to mount the frame in a position upstanding from and extending along said outer rim member, said frame including opposed vertical end posts and horizontal top and bottom rails, lower corner brackets on the end posts, the bottom rail projecting at the ends beneath said corner brackets, the latter being formed with saddles which matchingly engage on said ends of the bottom rail, upper corner brackets on the end posts, upper corner brackets including seats in which the ends of the top rail engage, means securing the ends of the top rail to said upper corner brackets, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, means mounting said intermediate post in connection with the rails for guided horizontal sliding motion, means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post, means securing the opposite end of the curtain in connection with the adjacent end post, and means slidably connecting the upper and lower edge portions of the curtain at longitudinally spaced points with the adjacent rails.

6. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower bath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising a vertical rectangular frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, means adapted to mount the frame in a position upstanding from and extending along said outer rim member, said frame including opposed vertical end posts and horizontal top and bottom rails, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, the top rail being hollow and having opposed inwardly projecting intermediate longitudinal flanges and opposed inwardly projecting bottom longitudinal flanges whereby to form an upper chamber and a lower chamber lengthwise in said top rail, corresponding flanges being spaced at adjacent edges whereby to form longitudinal slots and the latter being in vertical alinement, a roller carriage supported by the intermediate flanges for travel in the upper chamber, a guide member depending from the carriage through the slots, means securing the guide member to the upper end of the intermediate post, means between the bottom rail and the, intermediate post guiding the latter for horizontal sliding motion, means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post, means securing the opposite end of the curtain in connection with the adjacent end post, and means slidably connecting the upper and lower edge portions of the curtain at longitudinally spaced points with the adjacent rails; said last named means including T-shaped slides disposed with their cross heads in said lower chamber of the top rail and supported for sliding on said bottom flanges, the slides depending through the adjacent slot in the top rail, and elements connecting the slides to the upper edge portion of the curtain.

7. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower bath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising a vertical rectangular frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, means adapted to mount the frame in a position upstanding from and extending along said outer rim member, said frame including opposed vertical end posts and horizontal top and bottom rails, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, the top rail being hollow and having opposed inwardly projecting intermediate longitudinal flanges and opposed inwardly projecting bottom longitudinal flanges whereby to form an upper chamber and a lower chamber lengthwise in said top rail, corresponding flanges being spaced at adjacent edges whereby to form longitudinal slots and the latter being in vertical alinement, a roller carriage supported by the intermediate flanges for travel in the upper chamber, a guide member depending from the carriage through the slots, means securing the guide member to the upper end of the intermediate post, the bottom rail being hollow and having a longitudinal slot in the top thereof, a guide member fixed on the lower end of the intermediate post and projecting downward through the slot in the bottom rail, means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post, means securing the opposite end of the curtain in connection with the adjacent end post, and means slidably connecting the upper and lower edge portions of the curtain at longitudinally spaced points with the adjacent rails; said last named means including T-shaped slides disposed with their cross heads in said lower chamber of the top rail and supported for sliding on said bottom flanges, the slides depending through the adjacent slot in the top rail, and elements connecting the slides to the upper edge portion of the curtain, and inverted T-shaped slides disposed with their cross heads in the bottom rail, said last named slides projecting upwardly through the slot in the bottom rail, and elements connecting said last named slides to the lower edge of the curtain.

8. A shower curtain supporting unit, as in claim 7, in which said means for securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post includes vertically alined pins fixed to said guide members and projecting toward each other, a tube engaged at the ends on the pins and spanning between the same, and a vertical sleeve on said adjacent end of the curtain, the tube extending through the sleeve.

9. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower bath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising a vertical rectangular frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, means adapted to mount the frame in a position upstanding from and extending along said outer rim member, said frame including opposed vertical end posts and horizontal top and bottom rails, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, the top rail being hollow and having opposed inwardly projecting flanges which define a longitudinal chamber in said rail and a longitudinal slot at the bottom of said chamber, a roller carriage supported by said flanges for travel in the chamber, a guide web rigid with the carriage and depending through the slot, a horizontal plate on the lower end of said guide web below the top rail, a tongue rigid with and depending from said horizontal plate, the intermediate post being hollow and said tongue projecting into the upper end of said post, means securing the tongue in said intermediate post, the bottom rail being hollow and having a longitudinal slot in the top thereof, a guide web running in said slot, a horizontal plate fixed on top of said last named guide web, a tongue rigid with said last named plate and projecting upwardly into the lower end of the intermediate post, means securing said last named tongue to said intermediate post, means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post, means securing the opposite end of the curtain in connection with the adjacent end post, and means slidably connecting the upper and lower edge portions of the curtain at longitudinally spaced points with the adjacent rails.

10. A shower curtain supporting unit, as in claim 9, in which the intermediate post has an initially laterally inwardly opening channel therein, and said means for securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post includes a vertical tube, vertically alined locator pins projecting toward each other from said horizontal plates, the pins being engaged in the ends of the tube, and the latter spanning between said pins, and a vertical sleeve formed on said adjacent end of the curtain; the tube extending through said sleeve, and the pins being disposed on said members in position whereby the tube and surrounding sleeve are disposed in said channel.

11. A shower curtain supporting unit, for an alcove shower btath chamber having an outer longitudinal lower rim member above floor level, comprising an open vertical rectangular frame adapted to receive a flexible shower curtain therein, the frame being adapted to be mounted in a position upstanding from and extending lengthwise of said outer rim member, said frame including opposed vertical end posts and hollow horizontal top and bottom rails, the rails each having a longitudinal slot therein opening toward the adjacent edge of the curtain, an intermediate post upstanding in the frame between the rails, a carriage slidable in the top rail, a guide member extending downwardly from the carriage through the slot in the top rail, means connecting said guide member to the upper end of the intermediate post, a separate guide member extending through the slot in the bottom rail, means connecting said separate guide member with the lower end of the intermediate post, means securing the adjacent end of the curtain in connection with the intermediate post, means securing the opposite end of the curtain in connection with the adjacent end post, and means slidably connecting the upper and lower edges of the curtain at longitudinally spaced points with the top rail and bottom rail, respectively.

12. A shower curtain supporting unit comprising, with a flexible shower curtain, a frame in which the curtain is disposed in the entrance to a shower bath alcove; said frame comprising top and bottom rails and end posts, the latter being adapted to abut against and be secured to the end walls of the alcove and the curtain being supported from the top and bottom rails for extending and collapsing movement, and brackets on the end posts having openings in which the ends of the top and bottom rails engage in initially slidable and located relation.

13. A shower curtain supporting unit comprising, with a flexible shower curtain, a frame in which the curtain is disposed in the entrance to a shower bath alcove; said frame comprising top and bottom rails and end posts, the latter being adapted to abut against and be secured to the end walls of the alcove and the curtain being supported from the top and bottom rails for extending and collapsing movement, means securing the top rail at its ends to the adjacent ends of the end posts, and elements on the lower ends of the posts forming saddles engaging over the ends of the bottom rail to locate the latter against vertical and lateral displacement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,691,339 Deming Nov. 13, 1928 2,049,061 Hoegger July 28, 1936 2,092,426 Riddell Sept. 7, 1937 

